


A Glimpse

by flashforeward



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Bittersweet, Good Babysitter Steve Harrington, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-26
Updated: 2019-01-26
Packaged: 2019-10-16 14:35:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17551541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flashforeward/pseuds/flashforeward
Summary: Steve catches a glimpse behind Billy's walls.





	A Glimpse

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt Smile on my [Fluff Bingo](https://evilinsanemonkey.dreamwidth.org/702679.html) board. Possibly more bittersweet than fluff but this is a hard pairing to write fluff for...

_here in town you can tell he's been down for awhile,_  
but my god, it's so beautiful when the boy smiles  
anna nalick; breathe (2AM) 

The first time Steve sees Billy's true, genuine smile, his heart forgets how to beat for a second. They're alone at Billy's house. Steve's been hired to babysit Max because Neil doesn't trust Billy so Steve supposes he's kind of babysitting Billy, too. Max is upstairs doing her homework and Steve is working on making supper when Billy slides into the kitchen, leaning against the door and watching Steve, an eyebrow raised.

"You're so domestic," he says. "Make a good housewife someday."

"Fuck you," Steve shoots back, focusing on the task at hand. It's just pasta and sauce, but if he focuses on that rather than Billy he won't be tempted to wipe that smug smile off the boy's face. Probably with his fist. "Why are you even here?" he asks when Billy's quiet for a concerning amount of time. "Don't you have places to vandalize?"

Billy grunts. "I'm grounded," he says.

"And you obey that?" Steve looks up suddenly, studying Billy. He's not the type to do what he's told, which explains _why_ he's grounded. What it doesn't explain is why Billy isn't taking advantage of his parents being out. Standing there in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, cigarette unlit between his lips, Billy looks...uncomfortable.

Steve looks away, like he's caught a glimpse through a window at something he's not supposed to see.

He clears his throat and turns to the stove, dumping the pasta in the boiling water. "Tell Max food'll be ready in ten minutes," he says. He stirs the sauce, then stirs the spaghetti, watching the noodles twirl in the water. He can feel Billy's eyes on his back, knows the other boy hasn't moved. His skin seems to prickle and he feels exposed. "I'm sorry," he says when it gets to be too much. "For prying."

He hears Billy shift, walk a few steps forward. His voice, when it comes again, is closer. But Steve can't look, can't see through that window again. "Want to know a secret?" Billy asks.

"Only if you want to tell it," Steve replies. He feels uncomfortable in his own skin, like he's taken the place of someone else and it's only a matter of time before he's evicted and sent back to wherever he came from. This is all surreal and strange and he isn't sure he likes it.

"I stayed in because I knew you'd be here."

Steve freezes. Swallows hard and licks his lips. "Bullshit," he says, but his voice is quieter than he meant and he has to clear his throat and try again. "Bullshit," he repeats, turning to face Billy who is much closer than he'd thought. He's rounded the island and is right in front of Steve, looking at him, studying him. Steve wants to back up but it's just the stove behind him and he doesn't need to light himself on fire - he'd never get another babysitting gig if he did that. Briefly, Steve wonders when he started caring about these babysitting gigs, but he pushes it aside when Billy takes another step forward.

"Anyone ever tell you you're beautiful, Harrington?" Billy asks. His voice is even quieter than Steve's was a moment ago, the words barely audible over the bubble of the boiling water.

"I. What?" It's not what Steve expected and he isn't sure what to say, how to react. Billy Hargrove is supposed to be all sharp edges. All sarcasm and violence. He isn't supposed to say words like _beautiful_ and look at Steve like he means it. Like he's been waiting forever to get those words out.

"You're beautiful," Billy repeats. He reaches out a hand, lets it hover inches from Steve's face, and Steve. Steve leans forward until the palm meets his cheek and that's when Billy smiles. Not his usual sneer, or the cruel smile that tugs at his lips before he starts beating someone up, but a true and honest smile. Steve feels like that window he was looking through has been thrown open and Billy's inviting him to climb over the sill and slip inside.

But he can't.

He remembers their fight. Thinks of the way Billy treats Max and her friends. And he pulls back.

The smile disappears in an instant and Billy gives a grunt of a laugh. "Whatever, Harrington," he says, turning his back and heading for the stairs. He's shuttered the window, closed himself off again.

But Steve's seen inside, knows there's something more. Something better.

And he longs to see it again.


End file.
